Friday, November 26, 2010

Shake off your Turkey Day tryptophan haze this weekend with a smattering of cool events from dance parties to musical icon tributes to art shows. While the pickin's are somewhat slim due to the holiday, we say "quality over quantity" is the rule of the day! Choose your party antics wisely and pretty soon that food coma you've been wrapped up in will be but a vague memory. Oh, and don't forget to be thankful - personally, we feel pretty darn lucky to live in such a cool town!

With Black Friday here, there’s hardly a better time to reflect upon conventions. Join artists Dennis Conrad, Christine Fetterley, Chris Kerr, and Nicholas Knutson Friday at the Archive Gallery at Ballantine Hall (in the Uptown VFW) as they release “Conventional Fervor,” a series of artworks focused on the unsettling of standard practices, mores, and expectations. Conventions of language, society, science, capitalism, and even art itself will be explored, as will the ways in which they affect human behavior. Lighten the mood with home-brewed beer and music by three mystery bands (“Like” The Archive on Facebook to find out the set list in advance). Maybe Friday won’t be so black after all.

Ah, the Replacements. Rock's most famous anti-heroes, and clearly one of the best bands to ever commit words to melody. Lucky for us, each year First Avenue immortalizes the legacy of Minnesota's bastard sons with a tribute show of epic proportions. Celebrating the 25th year of classic album Tim are the Honeydogs, Pink Mink, Communist Daughter, the Goondas, Sex Rays, Mayda, Josh Grier of Tapes N Tapes, and many more. A mere eight bones goes to benefit the Twin Cities Music Community Trust and gets you admission to both the Mainroom and the Entry, which will be filled with the reinterpreted sounds of a band deeply branded into the souls of so many local music fans and artists.

After you've exhausted yourself with all the Black Friday shenanigans, you might feel like you just want to go home and shower off all the blood and sweat that a successful shopping excursion will undoubtedly coat you in. However, we strongly encourage you to dance it all off instead, with the help of the infectious sounds of the Chelsea Boys and the solid funky rhymes of Bight Club. Seriously, you'll need this release after you've spent the entire day grappling with crazies over who gets the last free monogrammed tote with their $150 purchase. Shake off your mean face tonight at the Turf--the music will be hot and the drinks will be a-plenty.

If your fam is anything like ours, we're guessing you may need a petit temp mort from wine guzzling grandmas and uncles spouting an endless array of Ole and Lena jokes. Not only do we have a bonafide hideout space to offer up, but you'll also get a chance to dance off Thanksgiving's pumpkin pie pounds and tryptophan side effects. The audio chef's of Bomp's hearty kitchen have whipped up a special post-feast selection of tracks guaranteed to rock your socks and get your goose a'cooking. Tonight's bodacious installment features sets from DJs The Moongoons (yes, they're back!), Shannon Blowtorch, Plain Ole Bill & Wezz Wnshp, not to mention delicious drinks from Neddie's bar. We would say shake a turkey feather, but that would just be lame...Space is limited, so head down early to join the party ranks.

Every wonder what happens to the cool, uber-talented peeps who leave the Twin Cities? Do they spend a lifetime weeping in gutters over the Minneapolis of yore? Or do they carry on like brave soldiers, leaving trails of art, music, and creative brilliance behind them like breadcrumbs? Well, wonder no longer. We're pleased to introduce l'étoile's latest people creepin' feature: Local Goes Global. A “Where Are They Now” if you will, 'Local Goes Global' is a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of some of our favorite expatriates. First up? Former local arty party babe, Sarah Ditty who left us to study in London a few years back.

We're still mourning the tragic loss of local hip-hop genius Mikey “Eyedea” Larsen. But thankfully his memory and creative influence lives on in the hearts and minds of his talented friends, family and fans through benefit shows, tribute songs and tonight, an art show. The intimate exhibit doubles as a celebration of Larsen's extensive art career and showcases sketches and paintings spanning from grade school through high school, not to mention collaborations, album covers and original work from artists Michael Gaughan, James Penfield, Booka B, Louis N LaPierre, Jeremy Ylvisaker, Satori and George Tompson. After the opening, head over to the Turf Club for a rockin' after-party featuring live sets from Face Candy, Kill the Vultures, Kristoff Krane, No Bird, Sing, Carnage, Guitar Party, Sector 7G, Mr. Dufaux. All art and ticket sales go towards the Michael “Eyedea” Larsen & Family Fund, so feel free to be generous!

Since they broke the scene earlier this year with cryptic press releases and some pretty stellar singles, BNLX has become a local music must-see. Tempestuous, dynamic, and lyrically sensational, BNLX is one of the best bands of 2010 (just ask City Pages Picked 2 Click!) – and that’s exactly why you should brave the cold Saturday to get to Cause, where they’ll be playing with StrangeLights, You, You’re Awesome, and Fire in the Northern Firs. From StrangeLights, expect homegrown psychedelic Brit pop; from Ohio’s You, You’re Awesome, big beat jams and DIY video projections. Fire in the Northern Firs, featuring members of First Communion Afterparty and Sun in the Satellite, promises a “visceral yet cosmic assault.” Now that’s a show to be thankful for.

Join the Menergy Grid this Saturday for a bro-tastic dance explosion! Co-sponsored by LOL/OMG, this wild, technology/testosterone-fueled dance blowout will be the place to be. DJs Bach to the Future, The Nightstalker, and Sweet Talk Radio will be flippin' hot electronic jams all night for your dancing pleasure. Pop into Playatta's Video Portal and make some high-tech, visual madness to commemorate the awesome occasion. This is one Bro-down we don't want to miss!

One of our favorite monthly dance jams is here! The badass boys of Attitude City are at it again with their installation of music and mayhem. Join the Jeff Dubois and special guest Ben Hribar aka Benny Lojak for a night of delicious dance beats and Clubhouse Jager’s tasty cocktails. Not only is it free, but we guarantee that you’ll have an awesome time mingling and dancing up on some of Minneapolis’ finest.

The Guardian predicts that TV Girl is going to dominate in 2011, and l’etoile agrees: these San Diegans know how to make a doggone catchy pop song. Listening to “On Land” for the first time evokes the same all-consuming giddiness of the Oracular Spectacular days, and the rest of the EP, which you can download free through Bandcamp, is equally addicting. The duo has only been around since August, but “If You Want It,” which samples Todd Rundgren’s 1968 single “Hello It’s Me” has already been featured on Pitchfork’s popular Forkcast, and things are only looking up (the band is looking to start playing shows within the next couple of months and we're crossing our fingers and toes for a Mpls stop). Lo-fi, anthemic, and aimed for the children of chillwave, TV Girl is apt to lift winter spirits as only bubblegum can do.

Every wonder what happens to the cool, uber-talented peeps who leave the Twin Cities? Do they spend a lifetime weeping in gutters over the Minneapolis of yore? Or do they carry on like brave soldiers, leaving trails of art, music, and creative brilliance behind them like breadcrumbs? Well, wonder no longer. We're pleased to introduce l'étoile's latest people creepin' feature: Local Goes Global. A “Where Are They Now” if you will, 'Local Goes Global' is a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of some of our favorite expatriates.

Sarah Ditty, 2010

The first subject of our new series is former Minneapolitan, Sarah Ditty, who left our ranks to study in London a few years back. Founder of the ethical fashion blog Launderette, Ditty scours through the slew of high fashion trends on a mission to “clean up dirty fashion” finding looks that are both aesthetically appealing and socially/environmentally sustainable. A fave among the l'étoile staff, Sarah saturates her posts with thoughtful writing, gorgeous images and signature wit. That's why we weren't surprised that her more personalized Tumblr account, Gold Dust Woman, is chocked full of the same aesthetically pleasing, (self-proclaimed) pseudo-intellectual fodder, with a hint of chimera. Sift through archives of esoteric pop culture references, forgotten video ad footage, provocative quotes and hauntingly beautiful images.

Image from Gold Dust Woman blog

But wait, before we lose to you a phantasmal world of fascination, peep our petit interview with the London-based Tumblr mastermind and all-around charming bella herself, Sarah Ditty, who – can we just say – is our total across-the-pond girl crush.

l'étoile: Once upon a time you called Minneapolis home. What's your connection to Minnesota and what made you decide to pack it up for London?

Ditty: Minneapple born and raised, err, suburban-reared. Even though, I now live in London, I'll be eternally in love with and indebted to the Minneapolis 'joie de vivre' and comfy Mid-western smile. Just to get a little T.S. Eliot on you – don't barf just yet – “home is where one starts from.” I moved to London to do a master's degree in Globalization – it was more like the Marxist Political Economy. It was the most intellectually exhilarating magical nerd-fest of my life. I stayed after graduation to be employed at an economic policy think-tank. And now somehow I have found myself working in the fashion industry. Oh the paradox! So now, I am the Head of Supplier Relations - Europe for a NYC-based business called Source4Style, which is an online destination for fashion and interior designers to search and source the world's latest sustainable materials. Plus, London's amazing. There's nowhere else like it – gritty, raw, grim, real and yet so magical, beautiful, historic. I like the constant juxtaposition of elements and moods. London is f-ing moody, and I can just be whoever I want to be.

Illustration of Sarah Ditty by George Folz

l'étoile: Where do you find the images, videos and quotes on Gold Dust Woman and what inspires their collage-esque pairings?

Ditty: Ooohh a collage?! I never thought of Gold Dust Woman as a collage of sorts, but I like the imagery of that. I started it because I am constantly collecting images, videos, poems, song lyrics and other fodder on my computer in a series of complex folders within folders. The poor thing is about to explode like an overstuffed suitcase! Gold Dust Woman was really just meant to be a curation of the many things that inspire me from day to day. I didn't really think anyone other than me and maybe Amy Roark would read it. I feel pretty jazzed that other people might actually look at the thing from time to time. "Gold Dust Woman" is my fav Fleetwood Mac song, and Stevie Nicks' style is a MASSIVE inspiration on me – minus the coke addiction. So seemed natural to name it after that. I have thousands of photos saved on my computer from over the last few years. This is actually bad because I can never really credit anyone – oops, sorry! Usually, I just find an image in my arsenal that suits my mood and then I will think of a word or a writer that also fits that mood, do a little search and find some text that seems fitting. A lot of the videos I post have to do with relationships. Sometimes, I write poetry and post it as well. God, how f-ing vain is that?!

Monday, November 22, 2010

On the quiet corner of Selby and Dale at St. Paul men's boutique BlackBlue, photographer Cameron Wittig stood beside a picture of the Hollywood sign and explained why he was averse to typical tourist photos.

"There are millions--billions--of photos of the Hollywood sign, and Niagara Falls, and so on. They look the same every time… so I added a fingerprint." Wittig gestured to the blur of pinkish flesh that was obscuring the left side of the print. "One in every million is a photo like that."

Wittig is entirely unpretentious about his work, which is refreshing especially considering his impressive background. (He has freelanced for Rolling Stone, New York Times Magazine, American Craft, and more.) He has the sort of unassuming character that invites conversation from anyone on any level, and as the small room circulated with old friends and interested visitors, Wittig seemed pleased at the warm reception. Much of the merchandise and furniture in BlackBlue had been cleared away to make room for the warm bodies, and there was a pleasantly crowded neighborhood vibe about the evening. I continued to plague Wittig with questions about his exhibit, pointing to a print of three shots of open blue sea that had been stacked on top of one another.

"Well, it's a classic rule, to work in threes…never put anything in the middle," Wittig explained, referring to the Rule of Thirds in photography and art which dictates that the picture be composed so that the subjects are located around one of the eye's intersection points (about two-thirds up from the image) instead of the center of the image.

Wittig seems determined to break all the classical rules, and he does it so successfully and so subtly that the viewer barely notices. Perhaps because the motivation doesn't come from a want to rebel, but more from a desire to disrupt the pattern. He is not riding against the waves of tried and true compositional statute simply for the sake of doing things differently, but rather out of a need to find the difference in a sea of sameness. Another example of this is a piece titled "Postcard"--a wide and scenic picture of the Denver skyline, with white mountain peaks and blue sky in the background. Indeed, it would make the perfect postcard--if Wittig hadn't chosen to display it upside-down.

Beyond the individual shots, the exhibit itself seemed to carefully break with convention. The first print was a black and white shot of a young man levitating above a river, and was the only picture to feature a person. Other photographs included close-up shots of water crashing into a shore (Lake Superior, I was later told), a picture of a window where the view was the brick wall of another building, and wood scenes with psychedelic lights and shadows. The final piece was of a solemn wooden door closing on a room, with just a crack of light peeking from the floor.

Each photograph seemed like a piece from a very different series; viewing them side-by-side should have been distracting, but oddly, the contrasting subjects lent themselves favorably to Wittig's overarching goal of disturbing the paradigm. Besides that, the photograph collectively shared the ability to polarize a particular moment in time, forcing the viewer into the silence of the instant in which the picture was taken. In the same way that Wittig searches for uniqueness in the world through his lens, he challenges viewers to find it for themselves. Shots like the ones of the Lake Superior waters breaking into dirt and rocks are at once familiar and strange, like fragments of a blurry memory, and even as the viewer tries to place them, their significance can shift from violent to precious and back again.

The title of the exhibit is Fell, which, Wittig noted, can mean a lot of different things: to fall down, to fell a tree, etc. In each photograph, there seems to be a pause somewhere--a point of solitude where the viewer forgets what they are actually looking at, in the same way that a sudden fall or a stricken tree can affect the scene. Appropriate, I thought. Another break in the pattern.

Fell will be on display at BlackBlue throughout December. For more info, visit the website here. For more of Cameron Wittig's work, visit his online portfolio here.

We've heard it all before. Minneapolis is Minnesota nice, and yeah, we've got some world-class museums, we've got a pretty stellar skyline, we have our share of nationally-acclaimed five-star restaurants and locally-grown celebrities…but we don't have the edge of New York or the attitude of L.A. For the most part, Minneapolis flies under the radar on the national level, hovering in the shadow of bad-boy Chicago. Whatevs, we say. We're not bothered, because there are a few among us who know better--who recognize the deep talent pool in our blossoming artistic community and regularly seize the opportunity to shine the spotlight on it.

I AM MPLS, debuting for the first time at the Fine Line on Thursday night, was just one such celebration. This fashion, comedy, art, and music variety show came around just in time to warm our hearts with some hometown pride that will most definitely carry us through the long Minnesota winter ahead (hell, we're so in love with this city now, we might just enjoy those sub-zero mid-January temps). The event was the brainchild of local fashionista and all-around cool gal Sarah Edwards, whose concept was to unite local powers in all the creative hubs around town and show them off.

Sarah Edwards, producer

The evening kicked off with a comedy set from Amber Preston, one of Rooftop Comedy's favorites. Preston has a natural and unassuming presence, with glasses and red lipstick, and entertained the crowd with good-natured digs on her Fargo childhood and Minnesota stereotypes. (Andy Erikson was also scheduled to perform a routine that night, but was unable to make the show due to a family emergency.) Preston's material was perfect for her audience, who were roaring with approval at all the truisms in her set.

The fashion segment of the show followed Preston, and that was where the uniqueness of Edwards' idea really came through. Instead of sending standard-issue models down the runway, Edwards assembled an all-star posse of local Minneapolis creatives to model looks from Minneapolis boutiques Drama, b.a resale shop, Atmosfere, and upcycled fashion label CounterCouture. Shop owners, musicians, artists, chefs, bartenders, and all kinds of creative types and off beat personalities had the chance to do their thang down the runway--literally. Everyone rocked their style and kept it fresh, from cool kids like Adam Levy of the Honeydogs, who doesn't really have to do much but smile to charm an audience, to fitness guru Laura Robertson of The Firm, who threw down a push-up in a mini dress and heels, to DJ Dirty McKenzie, who stopped spinning just in time to pass out records to audience members.

Emcees Chris Cloud of MPLS.TV and Rachel Kristyniak did a fine job managing the different phases of the show. After the runway set, sculptor and pop artist Brant Kingman put on a fantastical light show with a choreographed dance-slash-epic fight featuring himself and another dancer that seemed one-part mythological metaphor and one-part tribute to a trippy 80's music vid (either way, it was awesome). Nadine Dubois and Sweetpea of Lili's Burlesque also had a quick turn in front of the audience (too quick, as indicated by the yells of appreciation).

Everyone had one last turn at the runway as the models followed Edwards out on stage, glasses of champagne in hand. For all her preparation, Edwards seemed utterly surprised at the overwhelmingly positive reception of I AM MPLS as she took the microphone. "I don't usually do this," she laughed nervously as she looked out at the packed club. "I started this event because…there are so many amazing people in this city, and people need to know about it. I can't wait for next year when you guys are all on the runway!"

Edwards raised her glass. "A toast to Minneapolis," she announced, and the group on stage followed, along with the audience. Cheers rang out through the club, and there wasn't a soul in attendance that wasn't touched by the energy of the evening. As the party disappeared from the stage, Estate settled in and initiated the music portion of the night, firing off with a crowd-pleasing blend of electronic synths and live instruments. The much-lauded Red Pens followed, and for any late-comers, their jam-worthy set alone was worth the ticket.

As always, when wrangling of creative types is involved, the show wasn't without its kinks. Transitions could have been smoother, and Minneapolis is only one-half of what makes the Twin Cities the best place on the planet (holla, St. Paul!). Fortunately for Edwards, she has plenty of time to refine, strategize, and plan for next year's installment. And for a girl who's got a head full of bright ideas and the heart of the city in her back pocket, we're betting it'll come easy.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Art and fashion enthusiasts crowded the halls of the MIA last Thursday to support the museum's First Thursday collaboration with MNFashion. Four esteemed local designers selected inspiration pieces from the museum's vast permanent collection. Their final creations--three looks each--were displayed in a runway show held along the grand, marble-lined corridor of the museum's second floor.

Emma Berg opened the show with her Dali-inspired look: a sheer, buff blouse with a flouncy collar and a caged skirt of boning draped in the same delicate fabric. It was an elegant juxtaposition of hard and soft. Berg is known for her bright and playful palette, and it was a pleasant surprise to see her aesthetic captured in subdued neutrals.

The second piece, clearly influenced by Pablo Picasso's "Woman in Armchair," was Berg in her comfort zone. Pops of brilliant blue, green and fuchsia sequins brightened up the asymmetrical black and cream dress. Though it wasn't a great departure from her signature style, it was Berg's most daring runway look.

Berg's final look, inspired by an African Nkisi sculpture, consisted of a floor-length black crushed velvet skirt and a dramatic neckpiece over a sheer black blouse. The show-stopping element was the neckpiece, a tangle of cotton coil dyed black and intricately wound and sewn to create a collar that was gothic and aggressive.

Designer Laura Fulk, who has graduated to mostly solo shows in the Twin Cities, was back in the mix. The designer presented three variations of an oxford shirt and knee-length pencil skirt. As is Fulk's style, something was askew in each of the designs. There was a buttoned front opening that fell at a diagonal, a shirt collar twisted to the side, and a tie that hung off-kilter.

Fulk was inspired by Harold Edgerton's famous photograph of a bullet shooting through an apple, and the designer attempted to capture the freeze-frame the bullet's path with carefully placed explosions of white tulle. Unfortunately, the concept didn't quite shift into a fully realized sartorial interpretation. Fulk is one of the Twin Cities' most intellectual designers. She tells a nuanced and fully realized story with each collection. Sadly, in these pieces, the story didn't quite translate.

Fresh off showing his new men's collection at SCENEaSOTA, Raul Osorio constructed three looks inspired by the MIA's collection of Native American art. Though such a selection could tempt a designer to go off the deep end with something cliche like beading or fringe, Osorio kept it simple with subtle, consistent references.

Osorio's collection at SCENEaSOTA was created for the modern dandy. It's an aesthetic that suits him well. So it was quite refreshing to see the designer expand his range for the MIA show by creating pieces that were more understated, even a bit rugged. An elegantly draped black coat stood out, and I'm hopeful that the designer will eventually make a women's version.

Finale designer Samantha Rei surprised quite a few local fashion followers when she announced that she had chosen architectural furniture design as her inspiration. Rei is known for her extremely feminine, Lolita-like dresses. So to hear that she would be taking inspiration from artists such as George Elmslie was quite intriguing.

Her first look was an asymmetrical party dress in an unexpected burnt orange. Heavy rectangular fringe along the hem and criss-cross ornamentation recalled Elmslie's work. The lines created in the look were both flattering and impressively thought out.

The second look boasted a similar shape as the first, but this time the design was perfectly symmetrical. Though the hard lines and heavy fringe were still in place, this look was set apart with it heavy floral fabric, recalling the upholstery of one of Elmslie's signature chairs.

Rei's last dress, the finale of the show, combined both the strong lines of the first look and the heavy floral fabric of the second.It was a strong finish for the designer. Rei's work is not for the faint of heart. She walks the line between the princess and the warrior, and it takes a great deal of confidence to wear her creations. However, the women who wear her dresses are guaranteed to appear both fearless and feminine.

Between the runway show, the trunk shows, the l'étoile-sponsored scavenger hunt, and a performance by local punk act Pink Mink, there were plenty of activities for the art-hungry guests. The MIA was a perfect venue for a fashion event, and we're definitely hopeful that the museum will make this fantastic concept an annual happening.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

We're so spoiled. Each weekend in the Twin Cities brings endless possibilities along with it, and this time around is no exception. From artsy fashion shindigs to quirky themed parties to rolicking rock shows and more, l'étoile's got you covered and then some. Put on your snazziest autumn get-up and enjoy the sweet life in our fair cities!

If you've been keeping in tune with our Q&A designer coverage, you're heavily primed, prepped and previewed for tonight's Third Thursday's MNfashion edition. We couldn't be more stoked to see the art-mused fabric masterpieces from four local fashion designers unveiled and oogled. If you haven't been following, here's the skinny: for this month's Third Thursdays installment, the MIA challenged a few of the Twin Cities's most en vogue fashion designers to create three looks inspired by works of art from museum's extensive collection, culminating in a gala runway show. The ultra chic runway and trunk show will feature clothing by Raul Osorio, Laura Fulk, Emma Berg and Samantha Rei with accessories from Ruby 3, Urban Junket, Helen Wang, Retrospect Designs and Bionic Unicorn. Expect all the festive, art-focused fixings of past Third Thursday parties, plus beats courtesy DJ Bach and live set from '90s punk throwback, Pink Mink. Don't forget to don your wearable works of art whether they be your own creations, thrift-store finds or the latest in pret-a-porter! Co-sponsored by l'etoile!

Bonus: Bring your iPhones and play SCVNGR with us at the MIA - you could win an iPad!

As far as creative hubs are concerned, we all know Minneapolis is pretty much the bee’s knees. And as far as proof is concerned, I am MPLS is the queen. Happening Thursday, this comedy-cum-fashion-cum-live music extravaganza aims to promote interconnectivity and understanding between Minneapolis creatives – because what better way is there to do so than with a big ‘ol party? Clothing and accessories will be provided by local boutiques and designers (CounterCoture and Drama, to name a few), Jungle Red will be doing hair and make-up, and all the models are Minneapolis musicians, artists, chefs, bartenders, entrepreneurs – the people who help make this city awesome. Red Pens and Estate will be performing, and Chris Cloud of MPLS.TV will be emceeing. Um, yes. We’re bursting with MPLS pride, too.

Head to the Clubhouse tonight for a roll in the hay/on dance floor with enigmatic duo Machen Davis and Maggie Morrison, also know collectively as DJ Dick Pic. Not only do these two saucy broads have the BEST DJ NAME EVER but their their tunes will easily have you boppin' into the wee hours. Sweet drink specials will abound as well, including $3 rails, $2.50 premiums and $2 rail shots. Bring yo dick pics to share and compare!

At first glance it might be easy to write Recess off as yet another addition to the plethora of dance nights in Twin City clublife, however we urge you to take a closer look. Brought to you by the ambitious Anthem Heart collective and introducing the interactive live video superstar crew, Playatta, Recess promises to be a new kind of shimmy-friendly affair catering to art-loving crowd looking for a bit more outta their dance night, aka grown-ups accessing their inner "21st century digital kid" zone. Tonight's debut edition features an incredible line-up of local DJ all-stars including sets from electro/indie dance production duo, Estate; the Wants Vs Needs crew, DJ Espada & Booka B; and Get Cryphy's crunk master, DJ Fundo. All evening long witness visual marvels as Playatta – the chroma-tech-savvy squad notorious for their trippy Menergy video-booths – transform the venue into a manipulated digital collage of real time video effects, light warps and optical illusions. Prepare for maximum “video raditude” and the freshest of the fresh hand-spun beats. Not to mention it makes a great Third Thursday OR I am Mpls afterparty. Co-sponsored by l'étoile!

We caught up with fashion designer and the creative chops behind local apparel line, Blasphemina's Closet, Samantha Rei, to chat about the challenges of experimental sewing projects, fashion as escapism and why her Third Thursday collection is a l'amour homage to her hubbie.

There are a few really good reasons why the MCAD Art Sale should be on your list of things to do this weekend...like, say, oh, the part where you get to be surrounded by beautiful, one-of-a-kind art pieces, crafted by young creatives with seriously mad potential? This is your opportunity to buy handmade works from one of the most renowned art schools in the country, for a remarkable price--all the pieces in the Art Sale are sold for less than $1000, and many are priced at far less than $100. Hello, affordable, arty Christmas. Pick up a painting for the parents or the in-laws, kickstart your own art collection or simply discover your new favorite local artist. We never miss this annual affair, and neither should you. Opening night has a ticket price, but Saturday is FREE.

The Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association has done it again. For their 11th year running the annual Fall Fine Arts show is back, once again making merry in the Grainbelt Bottling House. Join artists and art worshippers alike to peep pretty pieces from over 150 local artists from the NE area in one of Minneapolis' largest group shows. On top of all the mixed-media, textiles, photos, drawings and paintings galore, The Red Stag will be supplying tasty nosh to keep the night rolling. Get there before 8 p.m. to vote on your fave piece of work for the "People's Choice" award and get your hands on in-demand art before someone else does!

Like any good Twin Citizen, you undoubtedly love your beer--there's a time and a place for everything from PBR tallboys to those specialty, seasonal microbrews from our beloved local brewmasters. Luckily, this community is never short on the stuff--or on finding ways to bring it to events everywhere. Enter Artenbru. The Black Dog Cafe has selected twenty local, up n' coming brewers and graphic designers and paired them together to create a limited edition beer and a corresponding poster design. Head to Lowertown Friday night to sample the beers, peek the art and rub elbows with craft beer connoisseurs. Plus, DJ Double Trouble will be spinning some mad tunes for you to get groovy to after you've sampled everything, and your $7 admission comes with a custom pint glass, event booklet, and entrance into a sweet little raffle. We'll cheers to that!

When the folks behind Waterbox say it’s “a new exploration in toy theater,” what they mean is it’s a puppet show...underwater. No, really. Focusing on light and gesture through abstract shapes and imagery, the puppeteers literally submerge us into a different world, a world so striking and innovative that the Open Eye Figure Theater has already selected the show to be part of it’s renowned Toy Theater After Dark festival. Think the underwater scenes of Planet Earth crossed with a Bjork music video (so says the Facebook event listing). We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to dive in.

The West Bank rarely fails to provide us with seriously rad shows, and this weekend is no exception. Head to the Nomad Friday for Pink Mink, the local pop-punky quartet who had us from day one with their adorable tribute to Scott Seekins. Joining the duo are the exciting, new-on-the-scene Baby Boys, one-man-band phantasm Hastings 3000, and grit-rockers Black Church Service (formerly B.C. Squints) and the Poor Boys. Arrive ready to rock.

Here at l'étoile we want nothing more than an old age that combines Grey Garden's reclusive bizarro with Auntie Mame's eccentricity, and we know we're not the only ones. Hoarders, squalors, time warped craycrays, those who live on the proverbial edge, tonight the 331 Club welcomes you out of the ramshackley woodwork for High Society Animal Hoarders, a Grey Gardens-theme party that encourages you to be the lovely, whimsical, aberrant souls you are. Brush up on Grey Gardens style and throw on your flashiest nightgown + fur coat combo because tonight's nutty mother/daughter duo homage features prizes for savant-level Grey Gardens trivia knowledge and a costume contest for the “Best Edie Beale,” not to mention live set from local rockers The Poor Nobodys. We'll be the ones wearing rabbit fur and singing “Tea for Two” in the corner; see you there!

Since April 2006, Parisian filmmaker Vincent Moon has been filming musicians in the streets, under the collective title The Take-Away Shows (or the French original, Les Concerts à Emporter). Created using a speedy, über guerilla filming method, each session is improvised in an unusual location (bars, flats, elevators), creating a rough and ready, demo-like feel. In fact, the videos see hardly any editing at all; some contain hesitations, others strange background noise. Rogue spontaneity is key. But here’s the best part: Moon’s subjects aren’t just any musicians; they’re pretty much all awesome, big-name indie artists, from The Shins to St. Vincent to Animal Collective to Xiu Xiu to even Minnesota’s own Tapes ‘n Tapes and Alan Sparhawk. Watch this spectacular session below with Architecture in Helsinki, and then visit the link to see the rest (120 and counting!).

Join our favorite punk poet, Paul D. Dickinson, for his annual fall book sale! The literary eccentric will be shilling his carefully crafted collection of oddball art books and unusual finds, along with LPs, CDs, the "People's Format" VHS tapes, and punk rock fashion accessories for those looking to sharpen up their autumn wardrobe. The event pops off in artist Scott Nedrelow's studio in the Thorpe Building (2nd floor) where you can also pick up a copy of the latest edition of Location, a gorgeous coffee table art book featuring a slew of amazing artists, both local and national.

Tonight's show "Every Wall Will Fall" is made up of a collection of talented artists against apartheid, with a mission to spread awareness of the injustices suffered by Palestine. With a musical line up that includes Skoal Kodiak, Slapping Purses, Camden from Daughters of the Sun, Seawhores, and Food Pyramid, you don't wanna miss out on an evening of top notch tuneage at the Turf for a good cause. Matt St Germain (Makr) and Fruit and Flowers will round out the evening with sweet DJ sets in between bands. Also, be sure to pick up a screen printed poster designed by the Seawhores' Adam Marx. Show your support for peace and freedom and have an awesome time doing it!

Earlier this year, Switchblade Comb was named one of MinnPost's “10 Minnesota Blogs That Deserve Your Attention in 2010.” Do they have it yet??? The rad local site is your daily ticket on the local and national happenings in indie music and film and is totally a fave on our bookmarks. Help them celebrate an awesome 3-year run tonight with a little music accompaniment from locals Dada Trash Collage, The Evening Rig, The Framed and Bad Chaber & The Swears. Hang out, throw a couple back, enjoy the tunes and munch on free donuts courtesy of the Donut Cooperative. Congrats guys!

Put yo hands up in the air this Saturday at Honey! HANDS HIGH is a brand spankin' new monthly dance party for you to add to your already crazy weekend plans. Join locals Plain Ole Bill and DJ Fundo to cut the rug to bumpin' beats and tunage. Just be sure to get there early, the first 50 guests get free drinks!

The rascally Medusa space busts out with a sure-to-be awesome show headlined by neo-wavers and probably one of the loudest bands in the Cities, Gay Beast. Fellow locals Voyager (known for their cerebral, entirely own brand of baroque-synth) and Safewords will be opening, as will two touring bands: spazzy Chicago post-punk trio Paper Mice, and mixed media barrage Mental Mission, all the way from Hot Springs, Arkansas. Needless to say, you want to be there (if you can find the place, that is!)

Remember the days of yore when musicians tried to make you feel something? When listening to an album meant you laid in the fetal position, ears to the floor, never missing a beat or a pained string? Well, welcome back. To say Perpignan rockers, The Limiñanas, are a '60s French pop amalgamation would be an understatement. Their self-titled debut album features Franco-cinematic scuzz-n-fuzz laced garage rock in the style of Serge Gainsbourg, Nico, Stereolab, and Françoise Hardy mixed in a blender of surprisingly moving, disaffected croons and beatnik-vibed chords. The words “tragically hip” come to mind, as do “please sir, can we have some more?”

Tonight, Third Thursdays will unveil the products of a design challenge poised to pair four local fashion designers with works from Minneapolis Institute of Art's extensive trove. Inspired by the pieces' artistic aesthetic and cultural elements, the designers have created looks that bring their visionary juxtaposition with art and fashion to life via a stylishly eccentric gala runway show. In this article, l'étoile will be featuring a short Q&A section where readers not only get an insider's perspective on the designers' specific art choices but also catch a sneak preview of their wearable “works of art” collection.

We caught up with fashion designer and the creative chops behind local apparel line, Blasphemina's Closet, Samantha Rei, to chat about the challenges of experimental sewing projects, fashion as escapism and why her Third Thursday collection is a l'amour homage to her hubbie.

l'étoile: The works you chose as inspiration are very architectural: panels, grilles, terra-cotta tiles, an upholstered chair. What drew you to these?

Rei: Love, I guess. I'm a very romantic and whimsical type of person. I'm usually drawn to pretty and feminine things. My husband has had a long love affair with structured and blocky types of things. When we go to the MIA we go to the same wings all the time: Japanese Art, anything Rococo or Baroque, and the Art Deco section. Art Deco makes me think of him and it's pretty much the opposite of my aesthetic. It's both a challenge to my usual look and love letter to him.

l'étoile: George Elmslie – the artist who created the majority of your selections – designed with an organic, ornamental aesthetic in mind. How did you incorporate this aesthetic into your Third Thursday collection?

Rei: I did a lot of hand sewn trims when I couldn't find fabrics that had the shapes I wanted. I made felt backings for the circles to make them perfectly shaped, but hand stitched braided trim to get the right manipulated look. I chose lighter weight upholstery fabrics to get the prints I wanted and stayed with structured, yet pliable dupioni silks to get the rigid and organic look I was going for in the solids. I think so many of the items were both feminine and masculine, structured and fluid. It was a fun experiment!

l'etoile: These artworks are decorative yet useable, reminiscent of how the Victorian-inspired designs in Blasphemina's Closet are ornate, yet still function as wearable fashion pieces. How do you create garments that are whimsical while retaining their relate-ability?

Rei: I think about the fact that I'm not the only escapist out there. What would you want to wear to make yourself feel special if you were sure no one would give you a hard time? And in the end, would you really care if they did give you a hard time if you felt beautiful?

I try to put myself in the shoes of every prince and princess that live in the minds of every man and woman. There's no reason why people can't wear art every day and still be comfortable. I think there's an epidemic of comfiness. People equate comfortable with easy and lazy. It makes me sad to see people going through their day, not making a statement, or if they are, that statement is' "I don't care what people think of me. I want to blend in. I don't want my appearance to cause a fuss." When making a collection, I pick a theme that makes me warm and tingly inside; I ask people what they wish they had and I run with it. I do a lot of research; I read a lot of books; I watch a lot of TV and movies. I never want to make a garment that would make someone feel like they are set apart from everyone, because I don't want them to feel lonely. But at the same time I want them to make a statement, be a leader and run with their own look.

For more info on Third Thursdays at the MIA on November 18th click HERE.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

We don't know about you, but our plan for the weekend is to try to hit as many art openings as we can. From blimps powered by live flies (yes, flies) at the SooVAC to decadent underwater photography at 526 to sure-to-be-amazing group shows at Soap Factory, Rosalux and more, this weekend is definitely a visual overload. Toss in some cool rock n' roll, stylish shopping events and maybe even a dance party and your epic itinerary is all sewn up.

If you missed the opening party for Cloud Cult live painter Scott West's Still at Tarnish & Gold last week, don't fret. Tonight you'll be treated to not only live painting by the creative guru, but also a screening of the Cloud Cult music documentary No One Said It Would Be Easy, created by West himself along with John Paul Burgess. The doc follows the impressive rise of the indie troupe through live musical interludes, interviews with the band and more. While you're there, you can peep the art exhibit, which West has been "evolving" throughout its run.

Tapes 'n Tapes return to the Turf this Thursday to treat hometown fans to their stellar rock-meets-pop-meets-indie awesomeness. Hear a blast of new tunes off their latest album Outside, and rock out to the additional sounds of Leisure Birds and Tarlton, which are bands worth the $10 cover alone. Prepare yourself for some seriously epic tuneage!

On the November 18th, Third Thursdays will unveil the products of a design challenge poised to pair four local fashion designers with works from Minneapolis Institute of Art's extensive trove. Inspired by the pieces' artistic aesthetic and cultural elements, the designers have created looks that bring their visionary juxtaposition with art and fashion to life via a stylishly eccentric gala runway show. Prior to the event, l'étoile will be featuring a short Q&A section where readers not only get an insider's perspective on the designers' specific art choices but also catch a sneak preview of their wearable “works of art” collection. (photo of Laura by Marshall Franklin Long)

This week, we went behind the sewing machine with sculptress and fashion designer, Laura Fulk, as she talks about her personal connection to photography and how she plans to bring her clothing collection to life.

Let’s face it. If you live in Minneapolis and you like cool things, chances are you go to a lot of live shows. And after how many of those rock shows do you rack your brain for some gourmet, convenient eats nearby and come up short? If that's the case, then Gastro Non Grata is your dream come true. This “goulash of good times” features local chefs pairing their creations with local booze to the tunes of solid local musicians - at the lovely Ritz Theater no less. This is an amazing two-day event: Friday night features chefs Philip Becht (Modern Café) and Erik Anderson (Seachange), Crispin Cider, and DJ Pat Dwyer; post-dining entertainment features Magic Castles, Unknown Prophets, Tyler Burkum, and Me and My Arrow. Saturday night sees Philip Becht with chef Steven Brown, Fulton Beer and Grape Beginnings, and DJ Solid Gold with music from Black Audience, Phantom Tails, Rude Girl, Marijuana Death Squads and Pink Mink, plus some sweet treats from Cakeeater Bakery. Not to mention, both nights feature a meat raffle from Clancey’s Meat and Fish Market, along with other prizes. Um, holy wow. What a mouthful. Literally.

Local photographer Rhea Pappas is best known for her graceful portraiture; for the alien, dreamlike world into which she takes her viewers...a world photographed beneath the clear water of a swimming pool. Full of wonder and almost angelic beauty, Pappas’ photographs have been shown across the U.S. and internationally - and at 23 years old, her career is just beginning. Her latest series of photographs, Loss of Innocence, opens Friday at 526, and from what we’ve seen, they’re absolutely stunning. The opening night event will also feature a live photo shoot with Darrin Commerford and three models, who will be rocking hand dyed scarves by Wendie Zekowski and jewelry by Jamie Ingham. No, it won’t be underwater, but we’re sure it’ll make a splash nonetheless.

In Franklin Art Works' latest exhibit, two artists explore the isolation of nature while attempting to establish a connection to their surroundings. In British artist, Richard T. Walker's tender ode to the nature, “Successive inconceivable events,” Walker holds a confessional, albeit one-sided, conversation with nature, created while at the head of a sylvan English valley. The six-minute video is an intimate gaze into a solitary wilderness experience. Fellow exhibiter, Justin Newhall, takes the viewer more in-depth into a color photography series 4 years in the making, capturing the chilled landscape along the Canadian Rail.

Columnist, arts 'n' culture writer, KFAI DJ and chick-about-town, Cyn Collins, consistently shells out the best in music and advice to ease your daily woes and fill your ears with audio pleasure. So, the least you can do in return is attend her b-day bash, fools! Tonight, join the knowledgeable lady as she celebrates her (and coincidentally Neil Young's) birthday via dancing, live tunes and, of course, booze. Taking the stage is one-man band Hastings 3000; Brooklyn's lap slide steel Americana groover, Joe Novelli; cowpunkers, The Gleam; and gritty rock 'n' rollers, The Goodnas. The FB invite not only encourages you to get “palmerized” but promises nom nom-worthy midnight snacks and dancing on the bar, Pee Wee Herman-style.

Punk bands come in one of two varieties these days - Southern Californian faux-political snotty Green Day rips, or poppy 80's throwbacks that refuse to accept that punk is dead. So when you get to listen to a punk band that actually sounds like a punk band, you don't turn a blind ear. Sure, they still sound late-90's, but what's great about The Soviettes is their intense brevity and razor sharp hooks. That, and the fact that you can actually f%&@ing dance to it! Last time they came out of hiding for a show, the place was packed to the nuts, so be sure to get an advance ticket at the T-rock, the Fetus, or Red's Savoy Pizza! Cheap Girls, The Slow Death, Written Off, and DJ St. Patrick open.

After a bangin' dance party debut last month, Extra Large is back for a second round of DJs, drinks and debauchery. Join the head honcho of the gig, Mike 2600, for his usual bumpin' DJ antics including our fave hip-hop, disco and funk tunes. To make the night even spicier, this time around Mike will be joined by hip-hop radio show host and Rhymesayers partner/DJ BK-ONE for some Minneapolis original jams that will rock your face off. Not to mention the mounds of drink specials (including 2-4-1's til midnight!) will keep the night extra fresh.

1. Download the free app SCVNGR for your iPhone or Android.2. Under “Treks,” look for MIA & l’étoile Fashion.3. Complete challenges at participating locations to rack up points. Challenges can be done once a day at each location, so play often!4. Come to Third Thursday on November 18, where the person with the most points wins an iPad! You must be present to win.

‘Tis the season… for some shopping! Join the MNfashion peeps and local design favorites for a seasonal shopping social unlike any other this season. For just ten dollars, take part in an exclusive event to peruse tons of unique holiday must-haves from vintage to hand-made pieces from local designers. Browse pretty pieces from over 35 vendors and boutiques like Cliché, Parc Boutique, Karma, Ruby3 by Anna Lee, Robyne Robinson’s ROX jewelry and more, all while sipping on complimentary cocktails and hot cocoa and nibbling on yummies from Ginger Hop. BONUS: Don't miss l'étoile's live photoshoot starting around 2pm! Sponsored by l'etoile.

In tonight's double-header art show, technology harmoniously walks...err, flies hand in hand with nature and viewers get knocked into a state of lucid dreaming. Intrigued yet? Read on. In the Main Gallery, installation artist David Bowen intertwines the organic with the machine to create a hybrid environment consisting of vinyl blimps controlled by swarms of houseflies, grazing the cusp of sci-fi and bridging the gap between technology and the cosmos. Continue into the Soo Local gallery and experience the hallucinatory chimera world of artist Sarah Nakano's Half Awake. Using theatrical lighting, smoke devices and lens filters, Nakano creates a haunting, intensely personal photography journey into her psyche drawn from art journals, streams of consciousness and dream diaries. Half Awake and chaotic...we're down with that.

Twice per year, the volunteers at the Soap Factory get the opportunity to show off some of their own creations upon the gallery's glorious walls. Opening Saturday, A Very Much More brings together 54 individual artists and collaborative groups under the theme: "New and old, everyday and exotic, scrapped together and manufactured, a beautiful mess of things collect and gather, swapping their pasts for new purpose." More than 60 works will be featured, including paintings, video, sculpture, and rumor has it, a plunger-ific ode to Marcel Duchamp. Without this hardworking, clever bunch, events like the 10-second film festival and the Haunted Basement probably wouldn’t exist, so be sure to show your support and love. Besides, a very much more arty evening won't be found anywhere else.

As the name might imply, Open Door is the one time a year that Rosalux Gallery opens itself to non-member artists. The sixth annual exhibit, juried by the MAEP Gallery honcho, Christopher Atkins, features work from 10 artists from Minnesota and across the country. Hundreds of artists across all media applied to the show, so you can expect some seriously amazing work. A few standouts: John Bell, who paints vibrant, motion-filled abstracts on synthetic paper; Angie Zielinski, who draws inspiration from “shiny things and loud noises” (think birthday parties, car lots, and fireworks!); and Minneapolis’ own Jesse Draxler, whose work mixes appropriated imagery with layers of colorful geometric design.

Perhaps the only thing better than listening to rad electronic music all night is getting to stuff your face with jello and tater tot hot dish while doing so. Nobody knows this better than The Somethin’ Else, whose sixth electronic music potluck is going down at Cult Status this Friday. This month’s lineup includes The Dark Lord of Rhodes (the musician, not the Dosh song), Carnage the Executioner (mind blowing beat boxing!), and ambient vocalist Aby Wolf with upright bassist Josh Granowski and much more – quite the local smorgasboard! Visionquest will also be serving up the visuals, and Slow Derek will be providing some additional aural ambiance. Bring a potluck dish to share, and don’tcha know, it’s free!

What can we say about the dudes from Estate? Not only are they dapper, dashing gentlemen, but they also make some of the sexiest tunes around. And with a damn near savant-level knowledge of disco, funk and soul, there isn't a lot else the boys could do but blow our mind with synthy, electro, 80's-inspired grooves in the style of Michael McDonald, Daft Punk and Danger. If you don't dance to this stuff, there's something wrong with your ears. We're almost certain that Estate is an alien/robot project sent to take over the world one dance move at a time and we can't help but acquiesce. Their latest EP, Nuclear City features fresh remixes from locally-bred DJ master, Gigamesh, but their live stuff is just as tasty and their mad skills prolific. Ride the synth wave tonight at the Stag!

Here in the Twin Cities we're privileged to be home to more than just few good music men. Call them brave souls determined to bring a little bounce to the ounce, a little beat to the streets. Producer/DJ Dory Kahalé is one of those triumphant sound pioneers. Working his magic since the early '90s under such iconic aliases as DJ Apollo, Cocaine On Her Dress, Ralph Laurenn, and his most recent moniker, Dirty McKenzie, Kahalé delivers hot mixes of electro house, techno, and acid under Midwest Techno Originals' Bass-United. His latest album, Lady Takes Wrong Turn, Drives Straight Into Hell. is a modernized throw-back to glitchy sounds of the '90s, reminiscent of Miss Kitten and the Hacker and electroclashers Mount Sims. Preview a sample of the freshly mastered album below and then pop on over to iTunes to download the album (released just yesterday) in all its techno-fied glory. Plus, for more tasty remixes, don't forget to visit Dirty McKenzie's SoundCloud profile. Arcade Fire fans there's a remix waiting there for you!

Calling all DIY-lovers, crafting gurus and artsy people alike! Beginning this weekend, every second Sunday of each month the 331 Club will transform into the crafting hot spot of Minneapolis. At this Sunday's inaugural event, join local craftees for a session all about embellishments, bedazzling and appliques. That's right, this Sunday is your chance to unleash your inner creative by spending your afternoon spicing up a pillowcase or adding some cute to a cardigan. Bring your own pieces to bedazzle and $5 for some supplies (unless you donate some of your own to the cause, and then it’s free!)

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